Walmart is ready to deliver 'Black Friday Deals for Days' – RetailWire - RetailWire

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Oct 21, 2021

Walmart is making three updates to its delivery options to make it even more convenient for customers to shop online during the holiday season. The news follows on the heels of the retailer’s announcement earlier this week that it is kicking off its “Black Friday Deals for Days” promotions on November 3.

Tom Ward, SVP of last mile, Walmart U.S., wrote in a company blog post that the retailer will be extending its delivery hours, increasing its delivery windows and adding more items to the list of what customers can have delivered from local stores.

Walmart will make deliveries until 10 p.m. local time from its stores to customers who place their same-day or next-day orders by 6 p.m. “We’re also allowing additional time for customers to amend their orders after it’s placed, so if you forget to add a can of pumpkin pie filling for your Thanksgiving meal or you’re in need of a last-minute hostess gift — you’ll have more time to add it to your cart,” wrote Mr. Ward.

The retailer is also adding more delivery windows through its third-party providers by enabling them to shop and deliver customers’ orders during the holiday season. Doing so, according to Mr. Ward, will open up slots in instances where existing delivery slots are booked. Customers will continue to pay standard delivery fees, with Walmart+ members getting unlimited free deliveries during the season. There is a fee for Express deliveries made within two hours.

Walmart is also expanding the numbers of items that customers can have delivered same-day from local stores and has added oversized items such as bicycles, big screen televisions and artificial Christmas trees to the list.

The retailer is also increasing the number of stores that offer delivery and pickup of alcoholic beverages. The chain said 1,500 stores will offer delivery and 3,000 have pickup.

Walmart is bringing back its “Black Friday Deals for Days” promotion, with Walmart+ members getting a four-hour head start on purchasing sales items online. The promotion will roll out in three sales events throughout November.

“Our customers count on us to deliver an amazing Black Friday experience with the best prices year after year, and this year we’re making it even bigger and better with more ways to shop and more of every item,” said Scott McCall, EVP and chief merchandising officer for Walmart U.S.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Do you expect most retailers to follow a similar holiday playbook to Walmart with extended sales promotions and added delivery and pickup options? Which factor — staffing, supply chain, etc. — do you see as particularly critical to Walmart’s sales objectives for the holiday season?

Braintrust

"I do not expect most retailers to follow the Walmart holiday playbook because not everyone has Walmart’s buying power, resources, and products."